LOS ANGELES (KABC) — As the holiday season ramps up, many find that achieving a restful night’s sleep becomes increasingly challenging.
Sleep deprivation has become a significant public health concern, with one in three Americans reporting they don’t get enough uninterrupted rest. While nodding off on the couch might seem like a convenient solution, experts suggest it may not be the most beneficial option.
“If I fall asleep on the couch after a long day, I’m not getting up until the next day,” explained Trent Monroe from Burbank. He finds that transitioning back to bed from the sofa often makes it difficult to return to sleep.
“Once I’m up, my mind starts racing, and falling asleep again is tough,” Monroe added.
Dr. Raj Dasgupta, a sleep medicine specialist at Huntington Health, warns that napping before bedtime can disrupt the natural sleep cycle.
“I have a couch in my living room, but you’ll rarely find me using it for naps,” Dr. Dasgupta commented.
“Who knows, you may dream on the couch and go into REM sleep,” he added. “Now, that’s not going to be good when you transition into bed.”
Dasgupta also reminds us that the bed is not a place to doom scroll or watch videos.
“The bedroom should be three things: it should be on the cooler side, the darker side, and the quieter side,” he said.
A bed partner who snores may be keeping you up and sleeping with pets may be another problem, but often, it’s a racing mind that robs you of rest.
“I think stress … a little more of that day-to-day life stuff when that happens,” said Wilson Lima of Chatsworth.
Dasgupta recommends something he calls “quiet wakefulness.”
“That just means close your eyes and focus on something like breathing,” he said. “You may just doze off. I bet you that’s what happens, and on top of that, it does help the body and mind.”
If poor sleep continues for more than three months, it may be time to seek help.
“Start making that sleep journal and actually bringing that to your physician to help figure out what are some easy things we can do to get you those better Zs,” said Dasgupta.
Monroe said he likes to listen to calm music, like low-fi jazz – and he rarely sleeps on the couch. A habit that helps him get the rest he needs.
“Happy holidays! I hope you sleep well,” he said.
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